Chances of Deer-Vehicle Accidents Increase in October, November

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NGPC news release, 9/19/08:

LINCOLN, Neb. – It’s already late September and drivers should be aware that deer are becoming more active. They soon will pose a potentially dangerous threat to both themselves and the occupants of vehicles traveling Nebraska’s highways and country roads, especially during October and November.

As harvest begins, crop and cover patterns will change quickly, daylight hours will become shorter and the deer breeding season approaches, deer will have a lot of things to distract them. Deer activity increases and movement peaks each day near dawn and just after dusk.

Here are some things drivers can do that will help them avoid deer-vehicle accidents:

-- When driving near shelterbelts, woodlots, creeks, or where crops are still standing, especially during evening or early morning, reduce your vehicle’s speed and watch carefully for deer. When you spot a deer, assume there will be others in the same area either ahead of or behind the one you’ve seen. Be prepared to stop suddenly.

-- Many places where deer are known to travel are posted with deer crossing signs, but the absence of a sign doesn’t mean a deer won’t unexpectedly appear anywhere along the road.

-- Deer often seem to be disoriented or confused by a vehicle’s headlights. Some react by freezing in the light, some dart into the path of the vehicle, others bolt away in the opposite direction. Sometimes deer that have just crossed the road ahead of the vehicle suddenly change direction and run back into the vehicle’s path or collide with it.

-- Honk your horn and flash your headlights to frighten deer away from the side of the road. If there is other traffic on the road, you can activate your emergency flashers and tap your brakes to alert other drivers to the potential danger.

-- Anticipate the possibility of a deer unexpectedly crossing in front of your vehicle and plan ahead to avoid swerving, turning or braking the vehicle too sharply if a deer suddenly appears.

If a deer is struck and the driver wants to salvage it, the driver may possess the deer but must contact a Nebraska Game and Parks Commission conservation officer within 24 hours to obtain a salvage tag.